Hungary cancels planned talks with Ukraine on national minorities
Source: a statement by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The Ministry of Justice reiterated that both sides had previously agreed in Budapest to set up expert groups to consider 11 Hungarian recommendations.
The Ukrainian delegation had hoped for initial results from the first round of consultations on 12 May, the ministry added.
"The postponed consultations were planned to take place in the city of Uzhhorod, where the Ukrainian delegation had already arrived," the statement said.
Background:
The cancellation comes amid renewed tensions in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations, following a statement by the Security Service of Ukraine that it had uncovered an intelligence network operated by Hungarian military intelligence in Zakarpattia Oblast. The network was reportedly assessing the mood of local residents and gauging their reaction to the possible presence of Hungarian peacekeepers in the oblast.
Subsequently, Budapest announced the expulsion of two Ukrainian diplomats, accusing them of espionage.
In response, Ukraine announced the expulsion of two Hungarian diplomats.
It was also reported that a Ukrainian citizen who had previously served as a diplomat had been detained in Budapest and later deported.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
17 hours ago
- Associated Press
Budapest mayor questioned by police for organizing banned LGBTQ+ Pride event
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The liberal mayor of Hungary's capital was questioned by police Friday over accusations of helping organize an LGBTQ+ Pride event that the country's right-wing populist government had sought to ban. The Pride march in Budapest on June 28 was the largest event of its kind in the country's history, according to organizers, despite Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government earlier passing an anti-LGBTQ+ law that banned such events. Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony arrived at Hungary's National Bureau of Investigation Friday morning where a crowd of around 200 of his supporters had gathered. Before entering the investigators' headquarters under police escort, he told supporters that freedom for Hungarian society was at stake. 'A month ago at Budapest Pride, very, very many of us told the whole world that neither freedom nor love can be banned in Budapest,' Karácsony said. 'And if it cannot be banned, then it cannot be punished.' Orbán's ruling party in March passed the contentious anti-LGBTQ+ law, which banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify those attending the festivities. Despite the threat of heavy fines, participants proceeded with June's Pride march in an open rebuke of Orbán's government. Organizers said that some 300,000 people participated. The government's move to ban Pride was its latest action against LGBTQ+ people. Orbán's party has passed other legislation — including a 2021 law barring all content depicting homosexuality to minors under 18 — that rights groups and European politicians have decried as repressive against sexual minorities and compared to similar restrictions in Russia. Orbán and his party have insisted Pride, a celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility and struggle for equal rights, was a violation of children's rights to moral and spiritual development. A recent constitutional amendment declared these rights took precedence over other fundamental protections including the right to peacefully assemble. While Hungarian authorities maintained that the Pride march had taken place illegally, they announced in July they would not press charges against attendees but said investigations were ongoing against the organizers. One of the organizers, Budapest Pride President Viktória Radványi — who has not been summoned for police questioning — said at the gathering outside the investigators' headquarters Friday that Karácsony had demonstrated 'courage and very strong morals' for helping organize Pride. Radványi said Karácsony had showed that 'being a mayor is not just about arranging public transportation and making sure that the lights turn on on the street at night. It also means that when your citizens' fundamental rights are attacked, you have to stand up and protect them.' Karácsony on Friday emerged from the investigators' headquarters after having been inside for a little more than an hour. Speaking to reporters, he said he had been formally accused of organizing a prohibited event but that he had declined to respond to police questions. Orbán's government, he said, had been weakened by its failed efforts to ban Pride. 'Until now, they've only been able to understand the language of force,' Karácsony said. 'This force is weakened now and no longer has any effect over people's thinking.' Addressing the crowd, Karácsony said the 'fateful' national elections expected next spring would be a chance to 'take Hungary back onto the European path.' 'We want to live in a country where freedom is not for the holders of power to do what they want, but for all our compatriots,' he said. He added that so many people had defied the government to participate in Pride 'because we know exactly that either we are all free together, or none of us are.'
Washington Post
17 hours ago
- Washington Post
Budapest mayor questioned by police for organizing banned LGBTQ+ Pride event
BUDAPEST, Hungary — The liberal mayor of Hungary's capital was questioned by police Friday over accusations of helping organize an LGBTQ+ Pride event that the country's right-wing populist government had sought to ban. The Pride march in Budapest on June 28 was the largest event of its kind in the country's history, according to organizers, despite Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government earlier passing an anti-LGBTQ+ law that banned such events.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Highest number of prisons found to be of ‘serious concern'
Nearly one in five adult prisons in England and Wales have had serious concerns raised about their performance, the highest number since the current system of inspections began. Some 22 jails – 18.5% of the total – were given the lowest possible ranking in the year to March, up from 15 in the previous 12 months. A further 37 prisons were assessed as being of concern, up from 35. These are the highest number of jails to be placed in these categories since the present system of ranking was introduced in 2017/18. The statistics, which have been released by the Ministry of Justice, note the rise 'may be a reflection of the pressures facing the prison estate', as ministers continue to grapple with overcrowding, violence and drugs in jails. Overall, 59 prisons were rated as either being of concern or serious concern, making up nearly half (49.6%) of all adult institutions, up from 50 prisons (42.0%) in the previous year. Just 12 prisons were rated outstanding in the latest round of inspections, down from 13 in 2023/24 and the lowest number since the current ratings began. The total for best-performing jails peaked at 19 in 2019/2020. Earlier this month, chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor placed HMP Pentonville into special measures over its 'chaotic' conditions. The north London jail was the 10th to be served an urgent notification since November 2022, according to the watchdog. Separate figures published on Thursday show assaults on prison staff in adult prisons in England and Wales have reached another annual record high, with 10,568 in 2024/25. This is up 7% from 9,847 in 2023/24 and a jump of 42% from 7,471 in 2022/23. On Monday, a trial of Tasers in prisons used by specialist officers began as part of efforts to curb the levels of violence against prison officers. It follows high-profile security incidents earlier this year, after four prison officers were allegedly attacked with hot oil and homemade weapons by Manchester Arena bomb plotter Hashem Abedi at HMP Frankland in April. Southport killer Axel Rudakubana also allegedly attacked a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh in May by pouring boiling water over them. Last month, the Independent Monitoring Board's annual report on prisons warned violence remained 'excessively high', which was driven by overcrowding, inadequate mental health support and a surge in drug use. Mr Taylor also urged in his annual report this month for the threat of criminal gangs dropping drugs into prisons by drones to be taken seriously by ministers. On Thursday, the Ministry of Justice announced a new £900,000 cash boost to tackle drones bringing drugs and weapons into prisons, on top of £40 million already used to boost security such as by reinforcing windows and putting up netting. Ministers have also vowed to create 14,000 new prison places by 2031 and have accepted recommendations from the independent sentencing review to curb overcrowding in prisons in the long term. The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment.
